At one level they are just things, objects. But, for members of the Anglican Church of Canada, these ornate things will be invested with sacred meaning during the “consecration” of their bishop.

The Anglican diocese of New Westminster (which covers the Lower Mainland) will install its new bishop at 1 p.m. Saturday in an elaborate centuries-old ceremony set in a contemporary West Coast urban culture.

The ritual starts at Vancouver’s downtown Convention Centre, under the sails. Then roughly 2,000 Anglicans, led by Nisga’a aboriginal Anglican drummers, will parade up Burrard Street to complete the service at Christ Church Cathedral.

That’s the historic setting where Seattle Rev. Melissa Skelton will be “enthroned” as the first female and first American bishop of the diocese, which has had eight bishops since Acton Sillitoe was installed in 1879.

What kind of spiritual transformation happens to the liturgical objects — especially the crozier, hat, ring and cross — as they are ceremonially passed onto Skelton from outgoing Bishop Michael Ingham?

The worldwide Anglican communion is rare among Protestant churches in that it follows the Roman Catholic denomination’s custom of extravagant, ancient formalities.

Unlike in some traditions, however, Canadian Anglicans are not taught to believe the objects used in leaders’ ceremonies possess their own supernatural powers.

Instead, as Christ Church Cathedral Dean Peter Elliott says, the objects become “symbolic reminders” of the holy role Skelton has been called by God to fill.

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Ornate objects transform into sacred symbols at bishop’s consecration

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